Care boss is on the shortlist for award
THE chief executive of the organisation that cares for older people in Stockport has been shortlisted for a prestigious award.
Borough Care’s Kathryn Farmer is one of only five people in the Inspirational Leader category of the National Dementia Care Awards, in recognition of her innovative approach to dementia care.
Since joining Borough Care in 2011 Kathryn has striven to improve the care of older people, ensuring those living with dementia get the most out of every day.
She is currently responsible for more than 460 beds, including 302 dementia beds, across 11 care homes and employs more than 580 staff.
Under Kathryn’s innovative approach, which focuses on one to one care, the organisation has recorded a customer satisfaction approval rating of 98 per cent.
Working with leading local health care consultancy Helen Sanderson Associates she instituted a study to improve her organisation’s approach to dementia care, ensuring one to one time with designated carers, a return to doing the things in life their residents had always enjoyed and still enjoyed the most, and more rigorous and detailed training for all staff.
In the last year alone 11,000 hours of training were delivered to 137 new members of staff, as a key element of the emphasis on this person-centred approach.
Each home now has a Dementia Dignity Champion, responsible for researching new methods and disseminating evolving best practise to all staff.
Kathryn asks families for their feedback, to ensure they feel any problems will be heard and addressed. She has also worked in partnership with local authority funding agents to ensure a major renovation of the building stock and the development of a brand new state of the art facility.
A registered nurse with 36 years experience, Kathryn said: “It is one for the team. We have some magnificent managers whose life’s mission is to improve the lives of those in their care, with a strong, loyal and caring workforce of carers, cooks, domestics and administrators all working as one to make Borough Care an industry leader. We want the people of Stockport to know they can trust Borough Care to give the best possible care to their loved ones.”